Why I Will Caucus for Bernie Sanders

In the battle for the endorsements in the Democratic primary, mine probably isn’t one of great political importance. I’m just an average person. But then again… The average person – that’s who Bernie Sanders represents and will fight for as president, and I know there are millions of Americans who support him for the same reasons as I do.

Here are a few of the most important:

I’d like to see the Death Penalty abolished, and Bernie Sanders is the only candidate who supports getting rid of it. The Criminal Justice system just isn’t good enough to justify KILLING someone, and in fact, there have been many innocent people executed…. people who were later PROVEN innocent. You can’t un-kill someone.

Bernie Sanders is NOT FOR SALE!! This might be the biggest reason that I support Bernie Sanders over what could possibly be the very first female POTUS. Bernie Sanders is the only candidate without a SUPER PAC, and he does not take donations from lobbyists or special interest groups. The system IS rigged for the super wealthy, and we have a system now where they can donate UNLIMITED amounts of money in the dark, with no accountability or oversight. The Government should represent everybody, not just the rich few. Bernie Sanders has accountability to the AMERICAN PEOPLE – NOT Wall Street. Hillary Clinton has VERY close ties to Wall Street and other big money interests.

NO on Iraq War. When electing a POTUS, you’re also electing a commander in chief of the most powerful military in the world. I want a president who will consider war ONLY as a last resort. The war in Iraq was (and still is) a disaster. Bernie Sanders voted NO on the Iraq war, and Hillary Clinton voted yes. The bottom line is – I trust Bernie’s judgement when it comes to using force more than I do Hillary’s.

Police Brutality & Racial Equality Bernie Sanders marched with Martin Luther King Jr., and has fought for civil rights from the beginning of his career. He has spoken at length about the fact that African American and Latino men and women are arrested (and convicted) at a much higher rate than white people for the same crimes. Bernie Sanders has a comprehensive plan to reform the criminal justice system, and get police back into a position of trust, rather than fear.

Healthcare. I’m a huge fan of Obamacare. HUGE! In fact, I’m an Affordable Care Act success story. Without the ACA, I would be unable to obtain affordable coverage due to pre-existing conditions, and I would probably have died. But in my opinion, the ACA does not go far enough. It’s sick that this country is the ONLY advanced nation that does NOT offer healthcare to all its citizens as a right. Health Insurance companies are mostly for profit, and in fact, they make money by denying procedures, medications, etc. This country needs a single payer medicare for all type system to ensure that EVERY CITIZEN HAS COVERAGE. Bernie Sanders has proposed a plan that would save an average American Family making $50K/year over $5000/year in healthcare costs. THAT is a plan I can get behind.

Consistency. Bernie Sanders has had the same positions his entire career. He has supported veterans, marriage equality, racial justice, reforming wall street, a fair and humane immigration policy, and pay equity for women for his entire career. Hillary Clinton has been a little slower to come around on some of these issues. I want the guy who has been consistently fighting for these things his entire career.